Metro News & Reviews

Blue Line returns service to downtown L.A. after weekend closure

The Metro Blue Line resumes normal operations at the start of service on Monday morning. Blue Line trains were not running in downtown Los Angeles this weekend due to construction that will eventually tie the future Expo Line into existing Blue line tracks.

Drivers take note. The eastbound 18th Street will be closed at Flower Monday morning until traffic signal loops are restored. (18th Street is a one-way street that runs parallel to the I-10 freeway.) In fact, the entire intersection at 18th St. and Flower St. will be flashing red and Expo crews will be flagging for an extra layer of safety. The on-ramp at Flower St. to the eastbound I-10 will remain open, however.

The San Pedro, Grand, Pico and 7th/Metro Center stations were closed over the weekend during the construction. Buses were provided to shuttle Metro passengers from 7th/Metro Center to Washington Station. Rail service from Washington Station to Long Beach Transit Mall was not affected.

The same plan will continue for a second weekend beginning at 9 p.m. on Friday night, March 12, and continue until the early hours of Monday, March 15.

Again, Metro will implement a bus bridge to serve the stations from 7th/Metro Center to and from Washington Station. Metro personnel will help direct patrons from the stations to the waiting bus shuttle.

The bus service will run every 15 to 20 minutes on Friday nights. On Saturday and Sunday, buses will run every 5 to 10 minutes and every 15 to 20 minutes after 8 p.m.